Sears Fashion Book...A Must Have

[NoirDame]

This is too good to keep to myself, ladies.

I found this gem at Border's Books and Music:

Everyday Fashions of the 40s as Pictured in the Sears Catalogs by JoAnn Olian.

It is a wealth of information with color and fabric information...prices. I nearly died when I saw the cutest leather pumps for 2.98!!! It has both photos and the detailed illustrations of the period with the year at the top of the page, spanning 39-50 with swimsuits, undergarments, juniors, ladies, children's and men's fashions, winter wear, play wear, hats, purses, shoes and accessories.

It's like opening up an old Sear's catalog and browsing!

 

[ohairas]

Cool! I love the old Sears catalogs, I have a few and I sure wish we could still order from them!
NIkki

 

[imoldfashioned]

That's one of my favorite books (they have them for the 20s, 30s, 50s and 60s too). I've always dreamed about working at Dover books--they've published half my library practically!

I wish we could still order from those catalogs too--it's simultaneously wonderful and frustrating to see all those lovely things.

 

[RetroModelSari]

Oh yeah! I have most of those from the 40s to early 60s. They are surely a treat for the eye.... Not for the wallet though cause they are so addictive and I sometimes browse ebay to find any items alike to those from the books...

 

[lindylady]

I ordered that book from Amazon a few weeks ago. I love going through it, fantasizing that I can simply call up and order those gorgeous clothes!

 

[goldwyn girl]

I love going through them and finding items I have and looking at the prices. I have a lot of catalogs with the order forms still attached and often dream of sending one in and getting everything I ask for................

 

[epr25]

That sounds wonderful. Was it very expensive?

 

[leaette]

I have that book. And I have some original Sears and other dept store catalogs from the 40's. I highly recommend buying them for research and just for having fun (and drooling) looking thru them.

You can get them on ebay.

fftopic: 2 christmas's ago, I got all my immediate family members Sears catalogs from the year they were born, or if they were older and married, I got them the year they were married. I had them all open them at the same time. WHAT A HIT! Everyone loved it and we looked thru them for hours and laughing so hard. I think my mother-in-law said "ohhhh we had that" about 100 times. And I got them cheap too. I got them for around $10 each.

 

[BonnieJean]

I have the 1930s era book and love it also.
Just remember that the Sears catalog back then had fashions that were a wee bit behind the current fashion scene. I imagine it was because they had to take the time to print up and distribute the catalogs way in advance.
The books are excellent reference, but if you're wanting to know what type of styles were available for a particular year, jump ahead that year or two in the catalog and most likely those styles were around then too. And most people did not wear only what was "in style", just like us in modern times, but more so because of the depression, people wore fashions from various years.

I say if it looks good on you and you like it, then wear it!

 

[Miss Sis]

I was given the 40s Sears book by a friend and found it interesting to compare with British fashions of the same era.

Another book we look through endlessly is a reprint of the Army and Navy catalogue from 1939 - 1940. Army and Navy were a huge department store in London and Bombay. They have everything, and I mean everything, in there. You could even buy a gravestone!

Recently I bought a case called a Rev - Robe. which is a case for carrying dresses. We looked up the good old Army and Navy catalogue and there it was!

 

[RetroMom]

The Sears catalogs are great...I have the one for the '50's and drool over the pages. Especially the formal wear!